This invention relates generally to the storing of food and relates, more particularly, to the shelving of wrapped foods, such as wrapped sandwiches, until removed for consumption or disposal.
In fast food restaurants, food which may be wrapped in either box-like containers or thin sheets of wrapping material is commonly prepared and wrapped in advance of an expected sale. Once prepared, the wrapped food items are commonly stocked behind a counter so that upon the sale of an item, the item is removed from the collected stock for passage to the customer. It is not uncommon that wrapped food items are stocked in a shelf which is sloped from back to front so that food items which are removed from the front of the shelf are replaced by food items placed through the back of the shelf thereby removing the food items from the shelf on a first-in, first-out basis.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved system having a shelf upon which wrapped food items are stored until sold and including means for removing a food item from the shelf which has been positioned upon the shelf longer than a predetermined period of time.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system wherein the stored food items can be heated.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide such a system for storing a large number of wrapped food items.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such a system facilitating the separation of unsold food items from their wrappings to separate edible refuse from non-edible refuse.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide such a system wherein an unsold food item which has been separated from its wrapping is cut into small pieces.
A yet further object of the present invention is to provide such a system wherein wrappings of the wrapped food items are either cleaned, shredded or collected for disposal.
One more object of the present invention is to provide such a system which is uncomplicated in construction and effective in operation.